High-quality education is one of the best investments Pennsylvania can make in its future. It will create more economic opportunity for residents and do more to strengthen the state’s overall economy than anything else.

Just how does investing in schools help our economy?

Research shows that investing in education at all levels yields long-term economic benefits for U.S. workers and the broader economy.

Early childhood education: High-quality early education is well worth the investment. For every $1 a state spends on these programs, $8 to $16 is returned to the community.[1]

High school: Students who obtain their high school diploma earn $8,000 more annually than dropouts.[2]

Higher education: Workers with college and graduate degrees earn even more. Earning a bachelor’s degree can add nearly $21,000 annually to a worker’s salary.[3]

The Takeaway: By investing in quality K-12 public education, working to slow the growth of college
tuition, and offering universal preschool programs, Pennsylvania can increase the educational
attainment — and economic opportunity — of its population.